Wasabi Powder - Japanese horseradish, can

Quick Overview

A rarity with real wasabi root, Wasabia japonica, valued for its fiery flavor and purifying qualities. Mix it with hot water into a paste. Essential for sushi, it adds zest to salad dressings, marinades, mayonnaise, vinaigrettes, and dips. Hot and stimulating. No artificial colors or additives.

Details

Eden Wasabi Powder is made from washed, cut and dried wasabi (Japanese horseradish) and Western wasabi (horseradish) that is ground into a fine powder. Mustard seed is ground and most of the oil is extracted, leaving about 4 percent of the oil in the seed. The seed is then ground again into a fine powder. The remaining oil in the mustard powder is needed to bind the wasabi and horseradish powders. All of the powders are then combined and mixed before packaging in sealed containers to preserve flavor and nutrients.

Wasabi Wasabia japonica is native to Japan where it is considered a national treasure. A member of the Cruciferae or mustard family, it has heart shaped leaves and small white blossoms. Although it is mainly the hot root that is used to make true wasabi powder, the leaves and stems are often used as well. Wasabi grows only near pure cold running streams or rivers and will not grow in a polluted environment.

Most commercial wasabi powders do not contain any real wasabi, which is very expensive. They are made from Western horseradish, mustard, or daikon radish mixed with cornstarch or potato starch, that act as a binding agent. Cornstarch is chemically extracted and bleached. Both cornstarch and potato starch are commonly polluted with GEOs (gentically modified organisms). Most commercial wasabi powder is made with a mixture of blue and yellow dyes, to give it the classic green color of real wasabi. Eden Wasabi Powder is completely natural and contains no dyes, starches, additives or preservatives.

Wasabi is deeply warming and has long been valued as a digestive aid in Japan and China. In the June 2001 issue of "Vegetarian Times", "According to researcher Hideki Masuda, Ph.D., isothiocyanates, the compounds responsible for wasabi's kick, also fight cavities. Researchers believe that isothiocyanates prevent bacteria from sticking to the teeth, the first step in cavity formation. It also stimulates and cleanses the palate."

To serve Eden Wasabi Powder as a condiment for sushi, sashimi and noodle dishes, mix a small amount of hot water with a little powder to make a thick paste. Allow the paste to rest for a minute or two. Hot water and resting, fully releases the fiery qualities of wasabi. Wasabi enhances the flavor of most fish, especially tuna, yellowtail and salmon. It is an excellent addition for hor d'ourves, marinades, dips, mayonnaise, dressings and vinaigrettes. Delicious in Spicy Wasabi Marinade, in the recipe section.